Moline will soon get a new mayor, at least temporarily. Wednesday Mayor Scott Raes announced he'll have surgery later this month, and will need up to two months for recovery.
In two weeks (2/26), he'll undergo surgery at the Loyola Medical Center in Maywood Illinois for a torn heart valve.
"I somehow injured it - they thought perhaps a car accident or something, but I know I haven't been in any car accidents so I'm not quite sure how I incurred this injury. It could have been as long as five years ago and it gradually gets worse as time goes by."
Raes says he didn't feel any symptoms until last fall.
In his absence, first ward alderman and mayor pro tem, John Knaack will serve as mayor.
"Alderman Knaack has been on the council for over six years so he knows where we're going and what our plans are. He's run meetings before so I see a very smooth transition while I'm out on recovery so I'm not worried about that at all."
The 55 year old Raes was elected mayor last April after serving on the city council for ten years. When not in city hall, he's a senior vice president and trust officer for First Community Trust.